OGDEN — Delegates to the Utah Democratic Party convention voted Saturday to preserve the convention/caucus system they use to select candidates, rejecting arguments that primary elections are more inclusive for the general public.

Meeting at the Ogden Eccles Convention Center, delegates voted 53-47 percent to stand by the 117-year-old convention/caucus system, rejecting arguments that primary elections help candidates establish name recognition and assist with fundraising efforts.

Democratic Party Chairman Jim Dabakis said convention delegates, through their votes, gave the party "marching orders."

“In no way was this a vote for the status quo — we have heard the call for more primaries, and much more engagement. Now we will begin the process of discussing ways to make our candidate selection process better," Dabakis said.

He said the party has launched an effort to register 40,000 people as Democrats by November 2014.

Democrats conducted a spirited debate whether to preserve their caucus/convention system rather than move to a direct primary to select candidates.

Democratic Party Executive Director Matt Lyon told delegates the issue came down to two basic questions: "How do we as Democrats select a nominating system that elects more Democratic candidates?" and "Which system better embodies the principles of the Democratic Party?"

Some party delegates took shots at embattled Republican Attorney General John Swallow, with Weber County Democratic Party Chairman John Miles going so far to say if Democrat Dee Smith had been elected instead, the state wouldn't be in the mess it is now.

But Dabakis said state's problems are larger than the political and possibly criminal issues faced by Swallow and possibly by former Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.

"This is endemic of 27 years of one-party rule where there are no checks and balances, where very important, critical decisions are made in closed caucuses where there isn't the daylight. Too many contracts go without daylight," he said.

He likened state government to a wooden platform that has been "infested by termites and it's collapsing. It's the whole platform, not just the last guy who stood up there."